Holder for containers



1 H. M. SMITH. HOLDER FOR CONTAINERS. APPLICATION FILED JULY 7.1921.

attorney- 'Patented Aug. 15, 1922.

HARRY M. SMITH, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

HOLDER FOR CONTAINERS.

amet.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 15, 1922.

Application filed July 7,1921. Serial No. 483,036.

T 0 all whom it may. concern Be it known that I, HARRY M. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Seattle, in the cou ty of King and State of lVashington, hav invented a new and Improved Holder for Containers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to improvements in containers and the like that are more especially designed for fitting about and gripping a milk can, and wherein a hinged top member having pointed prongs is provided, whose prongs operate to perforate the can top when the hinged top member'is closed down onto the said can top for dispensing the contents of the can when desired, and for protecting the con tents of the said can from exposure to atmosphere when the parts are at their rest or normal position.

Primarily, my invention has for its purpose to provide a holding device of the general character stated of a relatively simple and inexpensive nature that can be readily applied on the standard types of containers or cans to securely sustain. the container,

and in which the, parts are so combined and arranged to provide a maximum efliciency for the intended purpose and capable of being conveniently handled for pouring the contents from the container; as desired.

Again, my invention has for its purpose to provide a holder of the kind mentioned which has a hinged top that is normally held to its down or closed position and which has penetrating prongs for penetrating the container top when the said hinged member is forced down onto the container by the punched metal that is turned back under the can top, as the openings in the said top are mad Again, my invention comprehends an improved construction of can holder top, in

which means areprovided for holding the top or cover member, under tension, flatwise against the top of the can, and in which the diametrically oppositely disposed penetrating prongs are so located on the underside of the said top membenwhereby to simultaneously form the pouring and vent openings in the can top when the holder is applied thereon, and for positioning the pouring opening, when the can is tilted sidewise, with respect to the handle of the holder, instead of forward, to thereby avoid danger of the can slipping from its gripping connection with the holder during the operation of-pouring the two oppositely disposed prongs acting as-closures for the vent and pouring openings, when the holder cover is at the normal or closed position, and also for keeping the pouring and vent openings free from congealed particles of the contents of the can.

ith the above objects in view, my invention consists of a can holding device of the general character stated which embodies the PQClllltLlKiLIld novel features of construction, fully explained in the following detailed description, specifically stated in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my holder device, the same being shown as operatively connected to a milk can and held Figure 3 is a detail transverse sectionof the top end of the can with the cover mem ber of the holder at its down 9r apertures closing position.

Figure 4 is a detail section, on a somewhat enlarged scale, indicating the formation of one of the pouring apertures and the direction of flow of the contefnt-s V of the can therethrough.

- In the practical development of invention my improved can holder is formed of a suitable resilient metal and it comprises abody adapted for being stamped or otherwise shaped lip-from a blank form to provide a horizontally disposed spring clip or band-like member 1 adapted for extending partially around and to firmly grip the upper part of the can when the said holder is applied to the can, asindlcated mFigure 1. At the inner or bowed portion, the'cli p member 1 joins with a'pendent backportion 2. the lower end of which is laterally extended to'constitute opposite sides or keepers 33 for fitting aboutthe lower part of the can. I

4 designates a circular bottom having the diameter of the standard size of milk can, and the said bottom is firmly attached, in any suitable manner, to the lower end of 5 the back 2 and the keeper portions 3-3.

5 designates a handle having flattened lower and upper ends -50,51' for being conveniently riveted or otherwise made fast to the back member 2, as is clearly shown in 1.0 Figures 1 and 2, byreference to which it will be noticed the handle and the clip member 1 are projected in the same direction. v

The upper member 51 of the handle is of sufficient length to extend ashort distance above the clip member 1 and the said end has bifurcations that are turned to form eyes 53-53 for receiving a hinge pintle 6, presently again referred to. r

7 designates a top member that constitutes a part of my can holding device, and it is of metal heavy enough to normally rest, flatwise, on the can top to keep the can practically air and dust proof when the holder is applied thereon, as is .shown in Figure 3. 8 is a spring mounted on the hinge pin 6, one end of which engages the finger portion 71 of the top to force said 'top to the down or closed position and the other end of which, when the parts are assembled, engages the bifurcated extension 53.

The hinged top member 7 has pendent apertured ears 7 0 for fitting over the hinge eyes'5353 to receive the hinge pintle 6,

and for conveniently tilting the said member7 to lift it sufficiently to open the pour ing and vent apertures in the can top during the operation of dispensing the contents of 40 the can, the said member 7 has a vent up extension ,71 for being readily pressed by the thumb that grasps and tilts the can when pouring its contents. c

9-9 designates a pair of diametrically oppositely disposed cutting prongs and these are located near the rim edge ofthe said a member 7 so that when such member is swung down onto the can top with suflicient force, the prongs will penetrate the can top near its rim edge and thereby produce two diametrically opposite apertures 10--10,. either of which can be used as a pouring outlet while the other constitutes the vent for the can. The prongs 9, the detailed construction of which is best shown in Figure 3, are solid lugs having, a straight or flat surface 90 cut on an angle soa-s to form a cutting edge 92. v 1

By reason of the shape. of the lugs or i prongs 9. the apertures 10 that are formed in the can top -will be of circular shape with a clean straight surface 93 located at the rim edge of the top 7. the bntback metal that is forced inwardly of the can topbeing pro jected at a smoothv incline as at 91, see F igure 3, which will not act as a stop for retarding'the outflow of the can contents.

By forming the apertures 1010, as shown and described. and locating them at diametrically opposite points and transversely with respect to the grip member 1, the user can coni'eniently pour out the contents of the can through either of the opposite open-. ings 10, the other of the two openings acting as the vent and, since the cut edge of the opening has no inwardly projected rough metal edges. it follows that the last drop of the contents of the can can be caused to flow out of either of the said openings, as the can is tilted sidewise.

By reason of the peculiar shape of the. prongs 99, said prongs when the top member 7 is at its closed down position. constitute closures for tightly fitting in the apert-ures'101O to keep out air, dust or other external deposits that tend to spoil the contents of the can.

The circular bottom 4 being of the diameter of the can bottom provides a solid seat for the full bottom area of the can and thereby holds the can from tipping in either direction, as well as avoiding danger of wearing a hole in the table cloth, a condition present in can holders having a bottom rest that extends but partly under the can. Furthermore, by providing a solid seat for the full bottom of the can, danger of the can tipping and leaking out through the top openings, when the can is full, is practically overcome, and since the bottom 4 constitutes the rest surface of the can, any drippings that may fall down the side of the can is caught upon the said bottom. 4 and does not reach the table cloth, as would be the case were a part of the bottom of the can exposed to the table, it being obvious that, since the bottom member extends over the full bottom surface of the can, dangerof scratching the table is also reduced to the minimum.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the complete construction, the manner of its use and the advantages of my invention will. be readily apparent to those familiar with the use of can holding devices of similar character.

The pouringopenings of the can, when using my holder, being disposed transversely, with respect to the handle of the holder, the user can tilt the can sidewisein either directiomwhen pouring the contents thereof, and since the spring clip portion extends forward of the can beyond the side apertures 10l0 in the top thereof, it followsthe opposite members of the clip,-which always rest under the can top and effectively sustain the weight of the upper part of the can. the keepers 33 at the bottom helping to keep the can in its properly ad-' j'ustedpositions on the holder.

What I claim is':-- 3

1. A holder for milk cans and the like comprising a body including a back member. spring clips projected horizontally from the said back member, a handle on the back member, a bottom plate that extends horizontally from the lower end of the back member, the said clips, the handle and the bottom plate being relativelyfixedly joined to the back member, a top member hinged to normally swing to its closed position, the said top member being adapted to fit closely down onto the container sustained by the holder and having a pair of diametrically oppositely disposed container top penetrating prongs. the said prongs being trans-.

versely disposed with respect to the holder clip members whereby to form a pair of diametrically op ositely disposed'aper'tures in the can top ad acent its outer or rim edge, the said prongs each having a straight .surface facing the rim of the top member and a tapering semi-circular surface the latter surface and the straight surface terminating in a point. I j

2. A holder for milk cans and the like comprising a body'of resilient material including a back member, spring clip members projected horizontally from the upper part of the back member, a handle-attached to and projected at right angles from the said back. a bottom rest attached to and projected horizontally from the lower end of the back member, the said handle includinga vertical extension that projects above the spring clip members and-constitute a part of a hinged connection, a top member hingedly joined to the upper end ofthe-handle extension, a spring that holds the said top to its down position under tension said top member having a pair of oppositely disposed prongs adapted for penetrating the being engaged by the thumb of the hand that grasps the handle whereby to lift the said penetrating prongs to open the pouring and vent apertures in the can top.

HARRY M. SMITH. 

